It had been 7 days since they returned from Akpara Ekpe's shrine, Cyril was worried that he had still not known what his tasks were going to be and if he didn't complete them in time his friend Abiola will remain invalid. The state Abiola was in disturbed him so much, Abiola had left everything else just to be there for him, now it was his turn to be there for his friend but he knew not what to do and how to overcome the situation. He had left Abiola at his cousins place in Abeokuta, he couldn't bring him home to his father. What explanation will he render to the old man.
Abiola's quandary was not the only thing that disturbed him. Three nights in a row, he had had the same awful dream. He couldn't decipher the meaning of the dream and it bashed him.
He got up from his bed and paced around the room.
" what kind of dream is this and how come I haven't known my own tasks yet. Maybe I'll call Nonso and ask him if he and the others have gotten to know theirs"
Cyril couldn't sleep through out the night, the dream he had endured three nights consecutive left him in dread.
At 7 o clock , he woke from his slumber, he had slept peacefully without any dreamy interruptions. He picked up his phone from his bedside were he had placed it on charge the night before.
He dialled the number and Nonso answered.
{Meanwhile}
Nonso was frightened of what he had seen three nights before, he couldn't accept the fact that his task had to lead him to this angle in life.
" I cannot do this" he said to himself.
"Akpara Ekpe cannot demand this kind of task of me, even if I decide to do this, how can I get it done"
Amidst his soliloquy and pondering, his cell phone rang; it was Cyril. He answered the call.
"Hello Cyril"
"Bro what's up na, I want to ask you about that stuff. Have you gotten to know what your tasks are?"
"I think so"
"What do you mean na tell me?"
"Yesterday I was alone in my room, after taking my bath. I was dressing up to go meet some friends and I saw something. At first I thought maybe I was hallucinating but it was real."
"Nonso what did you see."
"After dressing up, I was combing my hair whiles looking at the mirror on my wall and I saw Akpara Ekpe. He told me what I needed to do. At first I thought maybe I was hallucinating but it has continued till today. It happens anytime I look in a mirror. I'm even scared of looking at anything that reflects."
"Bro at least you know what your task is, till now I haven't heard anything from Akpara Ekpe. I don't know why every time it comes to my turn things are always backwards self. But I have decided to go ask him why mine hasn't come yet."
"No problem, I will accompany you, I will also like to ask him if mine can be changed."
" OK no problem, but I would like us to pass by my cousins place at Abeokuta where I left Abiola."
"Okay, no problem"
{8 days after meeting with the Oracle}
Cyril and Nonso agreed to leave for Akpara Ekpe's village at dawn the next day. Whiles Cyril was in his room he heard a knock at the door, he went out to see who it was and to his surprise.
"Good evening my son, I'm sorry for disturbing at this hour of the day."
"Papa no problem, but how may I help you?"
"Where is Abiola? Its been a week since he left the house. He said he was going to meet up with you and since then he has not called me nor has he answered his phone when I call."
Cyril felt his bowels move and his heart trepidate at the mention of Abiola's name.
He was terrified, he tried hard to think of what to say that wouldn't give out the truth.
"Papa sorry but Abiola and I have not met since last week when he told me he won't be going with me. Since then I haven't had any contact whatsoever with him."
"So you mean, you have no idea where he is?"
"I seriously don't have any idea oo. But I will call my friends there and ask, if anything comes up I will let you know."
Abiola's father left for his home worried and beaten by the ignorance about his sons whereabouts. Meanwhile Cyril was so petrified, he barely was able to close the door. He sat on his bed and thought about what he had said to Abiola's father, he thought about the incidence that led Abiola to suffer.
"If only I had not pressured him, he only tried his best as my friend to be there for me. I'll have to go see the Oracle immediately"
{That same day}
They reached the entrance to the village at 11:53pm; where there were two paths and a big tree between the paths. One path led to the village itself and the other led to the forest where Akpara Ekpe's shrine was located. They trailed the path to the shrine and as they went, Cyril asked Nonso.
"Nonso tell me what your task is na"
"I'm sorry I cannot tell you, remember Akpara Ekpe whispered to us; that we should not disclose our tasks to anyone, not even our trusted companions, except in emergencies. "
After that they walked on in silence till they got to Akpara Ekpe's shrine. When they got there it was the same as they saw it the last time. Two skulls with light protruding from the eyes resting on two sticks standing about 20 feet apart. They looked on and saw the assistant standing at the door post.
He stared intently at them and with the same loud voice he thundered.
"No one comes to Akpara Ekpe's shrine uninvited. Were you invited?."
"We were not invited but we have been here before and we just want Akpara Ekpe to clarify some things."
The assistant went inside and after about 5 minutes he came back and ushered them in.
As they walked through the doorway they noticed Akpara Ekpe looking through a mirror. He turned around towards Cyril and Nonso.
" I didn't expect you two back here so soon. what do you want?"
Nonso spoke first.
"The great Akpara Ekpe, I had some kind of a vision though it felt real, were you told me what my task is. I was hoping you could change the task, I don't think I have the heart to do such a thing."
"Child the ways of the gods are manifold and will leave a chicken head such as you incapacitated and trembling for help.
You have heard what you must do, there's no turning back now.
And you what do you seek? he asked Cyril."
"The great Oracle, you said we will know what we are to do three nights after we came here. Its been eight nights now and I haven't heard anything. That's why I came to ask."
"The gods do not make mistakes, neither have they been found to err. You have been told of the task that you must do. It is you who is trying to evade the knowledge of it."
"I do not understand what you mean."
" You have had the same dream for the past four days, what did you think the dream meant?"
"The great Oracle, no! Please, i cannot do that, I cannot do that, ask of something else that task is not just absurd but also shameful. Please ask for something else."
"You had better leave here, each of your task has an expiry date, seven days per task for three tasks. Each of you has three days left. If I were you I would hurry now, when the sun still smiles."
Akpara Ekpe's assistant led them out of the room, as they got outside he told them to hurry or the repercussions will be horrifying.
As they walked back the path they had come through, Cyril's dream flashed once more through his mind.
In his dream he was asked to bring it.
"I can not bring it" he said
"I cannot do that"